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Finishing the season

Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 1:47 pm
by Dag82
Isn't it the case in our league, that most players will have contracts until minimum 30th June.

So the scenario is that clubs have 3 more months from now, to play the remaining 8 or 9 league matches.

They could scrap the play offs, and just promote the top 2 finishers, if required.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:52 pm
by ARNU
Right......

The oracle that is ARNU ( me) predicts the following:

All league's will be null and void.
Nobody promoted or relegated this season.

Whoever is left financially able to will go again when it's safe to do so.

Some clubs will fold, maybe, but probably not, the govt might dig them out. Don't hold your breathe.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 8:56 pm
by Dag82
New NL meeting tomorrow, according to Sky Sports News.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 11:36 pm
by RayleighDagger1986
ARNU wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:52 pm Right......

The oracle that is ARNU ( me) predicts the following:

All league's will be null and void.
Nobody promoted or relegated this season.

Whoever is left financially able to will go again when it's safe to do so.

Some clubs will fold, maybe, but probably not, the govt might dig them out. Don't hold your breathe.
I predict lots of lawsuits taking place if all leagues became null and void. Does BTSPORT hold back payments for the games not shown / highlights programme?
Same for all televised games domestically and internationally.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:09 am
by ARNU
Defend yourself against this:

" We were told by govt that mass gatherings were going to be banned. They subsequently were so we didn't want to risk the health of fans staff and players"

Game over !

It's a natural disaster no lawsuit will be worth the paper it's written on.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:45 am
by Mark
Depends on the definition of mass gathering. They could conceivably order games to be played out behind closed doors with video or audio feeds to fans. Could keep the total number of people under 50 in this scenario. To plug the gate receipts gap I guess there needs to be an emergency fund, perhaps the TV companies would pay towards it or they won't have a league to screen next season.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:14 am
by ARNU
Just to be devil's advocate

Yes they could play behind closed doors.

What if I'm a player and I'm worried about catching/ spreading the virus? How can you make me play ?

The only lawsuit I could see having some weight would be against the national League if they were to insist teams play.

It is mildly distressing that the league will be cancelled. But in times of crisis other things are priority. Footballs easiest route surely is voiding the season. And from a Dagenham Redbridge footballing point of view it helps us doesn't it because we are flirting with relegation. Let's just go again next season.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:34 am
by Mark
You cant make the players play. But they'd probably be in breach of contract. If enough players refuse, the match is a walkover. If both teams fail to field a team, I guess it gets written as nil nil.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 12:20 pm
by RayleighDagger1986
ARNU wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:14 am Just to be devil's advocate

Yes they could play behind closed doors.

What if I'm a player and I'm worried about catching/ spreading the virus? How can you make me play ?

The only lawsuit I could see having some weight would be against the national League if they were to insist teams play.

It is mildly distressing that the league will be cancelled. But in times of crisis other things are priority. Footballs easiest route surely is voiding the season. And from a Dagenham Redbridge footballing point of view it helps us doesn't it because we are flirting with relegation. Let's just go again next season.
Try and say that to clubs like Leeds and West Brom if the season was confirmed void.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:34 pm
by BarkingRambo
I think voiding this year might be only option or else its going to be one hell of a fixture pileup to rush it through by the time the players contracts run out in June.

Only other argument I guess is, its not like we are only 5 games into the season, all teams have played 37-39 matches so its a reasonable picture of how the league is going. Call the leagues as they are now. Don't have play offs and only move automatic promotion teams so Barrow get title and Chorely & Fylde go down. Fylde will probably be annoyed with a couple games in hand but they have had 37 games to not be 2nd bottom.

Its not fair but then again neither is making this entire season so far pointless.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:55 pm
by Mark
Given that there doesn't appear to be any rules in the national league regarding what happens if the season cannot be finished, I expect the board will vote on it if the situation arises.

They will also need to decide whether prize money is awarded.

Voiding the season is one option, and would probably be backed by any club in the relegation zone.

Bear in mind that even if they decide to take the table as it stands now, it might not matter if the EFL don't follow suit, as there would be no promotion places for Barrow to take. The teams in the relegation zone don't have too much to argue about as they don't have any games in hand that could see them escape. Still harsh tho when you are expecting a 46 game season.

If the EFL did allow promotion and relegation then I expect the national league would be forced to follow suit and promote Barrow and then maybe squeeze in a one off final between Harrogate and Notts County. Or just do 1 up, involving County would be shaky with two teams behind them with game in hand.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:34 pm
by Dag82
The other problem with promoting or relegating teams, based on the table as it stands, is that some teams can reasonably
argue that they have much more (on paper) favourable run ins, than certain rivals.

I think that had this crisis kicked off back in October/November, then the obvious call would be to scrap the season, and go again, but the season
is like 85% done, so surely needs to be finished, as and when safe to do so.

As suggested, they could just play games behind closed doors, if required.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:01 pm
by Diggerthedog
Season over I think with that announcement. Don’t see how the season can ever be finished now.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:45 pm
by NBDag
Even though it defies all logic to do so, I really hope this season is cancelled with no one up or down. Will give us a better chance of doing what we should have done this season - take full advantage of the piss poor oppositions and get out of this godforsaken league.

Re: Finishing the season

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:55 pm
by Dag82
Diggerthedog wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:01 pm Season over I think with that announcement. Don’t see how the season can ever be finished now.
Cannot be finished by April 25th now.

Think calling it null and void, is still a long way off.